Save your empty crisp packets

[BodhisatvaJohn]

Here is a wondeful way to both reduce your waste and help others too.
http://myzerowaste.com/2010/01/how-to-r ... t-charity/

Od crisp packets are being sent to the Philippines. Also the site Zero waste is great. http://myzerowaste.com/

I don't eat the stuff, but if I find any old bags, I'll send them off now

John

[saint-spoon]

I don't eat the stuff, but if I find any old bags, I'll send them off now

John

By ‘the stuff’ I assume that you mean crisps.

[foghornleghorn2]

So you post the crisp packets to this lady and she delivers them to Southampton and then a boat takes them to the Phillipines where they are made into handbags.

Seems a long way to send a crisp packet, doesn't all this transporting give it a "carbon footprint " that surely must offset the positive side of this venture.

Wouldn't it be better to package crisps in something that can be recycled in this country ?

[manda]

Here's a novel idea..... paper?

Have to be honest I don't really eat them..only because they don't last that long in the house. I have tried making my own with varying degrees of success..I don't think Walkers have to worry though !

[wendy]

We don't eat them either.
Wendy

[BodhisatvaJohn]

So you post the crisp packets to this lady and she delivers them to Southampton and then a boat takes them to the Phillipines where they are made into handbags.

Seems a long way to send a crisp packet, doesn't all this transporting give it a "carbon footprint " that surely must offset the positive side of this venture.

Wouldn't it be better to package crisps in something that can be recycled in this country ?

For gods sake Foghorn, stop being so darn negative

[saint-spoon]

So you post the crisp packets to this lady and she delivers them to Southampton and then a boat takes them to the Phillipines where they are made into handbags.

Seems a long way to send a crisp packet, doesn't all this transporting give it a "carbon footprint " that surely must offset the positive side of this venture.

Wouldn't it be better to package crisps in something that can be recycled in this country ?

For gods sake Foghorn, stop being so darn negative

ease to a gallop BJ, Foggy is only expressing his opinion in the same way as you have.
It’s an interesting link but I remain slightly agnostic because I have seen how many of these types of schemes are open to abuse. Take for instance the computer you use to log on to DTL, the likelihood is that it will end up in a developing country being dismantled for its valuable metals in a way that is not only highly damaging to the environment but also to the health of the workers extracting them. Often child labour is used burn the insulation from copper wires and lead components are melted down in the same pan as a family cooks it’s meals. The supply of used computers and accessories is often via several different companies so as to appease EU and American laws regulating such things. Hence I remain sceptical.

[Dave]

people want green packaging for their crisps
i know walkers looked into biodegradable bags
but the thing is you cant (apparently)get an air tight seal with a
biodegradable bag !!!!
and even if you could the bags degrade enough that they do let air in
before the bag can be boxed and got to the shelf
and then purchased buy your good selves
and the contents eaten

so if you want fresh crisp crisps the best bag is a foil one

[saint-spoon]

What about pr1ngles, they come in a cardboard tube which seems to rot down well enough in my composter.

[saint-spoon]

Admittedly you have to cut the metal bit off the base which goes in the recycling bin, then you’ve got to cut it up and rip the plastic-foily stuff from the middle but the cardboard bit rots down admirably (I think)

[foghornleghorn2]

So you post the crisp packets to this lady and she delivers them to Southampton and then a boat takes them to the Phillipines where they are made into handbags.

Seems a long way to send a crisp packet, doesn't all this transporting give it a "carbon footprint " that surely must offset the positive side of this venture.

Wouldn't it be better to package crisps in something that can be recycled in this country ?

For gods sake Foghorn, stop being so darn negative

Negative or realistic ?

Sending empty crisp packets to the Phillipines sounds a bit far out. I am simply asking a question, is it really worth it ? There must be a cost somewhere, I could easily justify any long haul flight I take by saying that the plane was going anyway.

[Green Rosie]

I do tend to agree with Foghorn - whilst it is admirable to reduce waste as this lady from my zero waste does, it should not be in such a way as to create another problem somewhere else. I had quite a debate with her on another forum over wine bottle corks. She preferred those made of plastic that could be recycled. However without the cork industry there would be no cork forests and thus the survival of a rare big cat and other flora/fauna there would be out at risk. She never did mention this on her blog which I found sad.

I believe that whilst reducing to zero waste can be achieved, it is at what greater environmental cost?

Oops, sorry - bit of a rant and only post No 2

[saint-spoon]

Rant away.
I agree about the cork forests, a very sustainable way of farming and highly nature friendly. Plastic stoppers have the main advantage of not having the bug that cause a bottle to “cork” but they obviously have a wider environmental impact.

[foghornleghorn2]

I do tend to agree with Foghorn - whilst it is admirable to reduce waste as this lady from my zero waste does, it should not be in such a way as to create another problem somewhere else. I had quite a debate with her on another forum over wine bottle corks. She preferred those made of plastic that could be recycled. However without the cork industry there would be no cork forests and thus the survival of a rare big cat and other flora/fauna there would be out at risk. She never did mention this on her blog which I found sad.

I believe that whilst reducing to zero waste can be achieved, it is at what greater environmental cost?

Oops, sorry - bit of a rant and only post No 2

You go for it Rosie

It never crossed my mind about the impact plastic corks would have on sustainable farming of cork.

People can get too wrapped up (excuse the pun) in recycling things, we should concentrate on getting the basics right before we starting getting into the fine detail.

[Green Rosie]

I think what made me most cross was the fact she made no mention of this issue on her blog - Zero waste is her sole aim and although she said on the forum she was worried about the impact of such a goal I feel she could have mentioned it on her blog, which is very widely read.

The same goes for crisp packets - by all means mention the recycling project but give more information so readers can make an informed choice.